Endlessly, She Said
by Aveline Archer
Summary: *DISCONTINUED* It was a brain numbing kiss that made me tingle deep within my heart and soul, connecting me fully to him. I tangled my fingers in his soft brown waves as he laid me back against the bed, losing myself in his embrace. ARES/OC - Set during WOTT. Romance, Drama, Friendship, Love and Adventure.
1. Belief

**DISCLAIMER: **I neither own nor make profit from anything relatedto the Clash of the Titans series.

This is fiction.

Comments welcomed via reviews and/or PM.

This is an Ares and Aella (OC) outing.

I loved Edgar Ramirez's portrayal of Ares and was sad to see only a couple of stories based around him in WOTT, so I wrote my own.

**SUMMARY:** _It was a brain numbing kiss that made me tingle deep within my heart and soul, connecting me fully to him. I tangled my fingers in his soft brown waves as he laid me back against the bed, losing myself in his embrace._

-x-

**Endlessly, She Said**

**1 –Belief.**

"Your majesty, I have brought you a fine pitcher of wine." I announced waltzing into the main tent making my Queen and childhood friend; Andromeda look up from the wooden table covered in maps and scrolls, her long golden hair framing her pretty features that appeared fatigued.

After sunset the soldiers could lay down their weapons and attempt to have a few hours' sleep before the Chimera – an evil beast unleashed from the Underworld would spend another day raging through helpless villages, leaving our people injured and homeless. Most soldiers gathered round crackling fire pits in quiet reflection or to remember friends who'd fought and died bravely on the battle field. I'd lost count of how many funeral priers I'd seen, but I prayed to Ares, the God of War every night to bless our battle and save as many lives as he saw fit. But it appeared my prayers went unheard as the body count grew with each passing day.

"I don't think now is the appropriate time for drinking Aella,"

"We have fought hard today Andromeda and lost many men, a little wine is needed to celebrate their memory and be grateful we survived another day of hell on earth."

I reached for her hand as I walked by, leading her towards the camp fire at the opposite end of the tent lightly flapping in the night breeze. I sat her in a chair before the glowing embers while I poured us each a goblet and claimed the seat beside her. I set the pitcher down and raised my goblet.

"Let us give thanks to the magnificent God Ares for protecting us in battle and may he lead our fallen brothers to peace in the Underworld." Andromeda and I touched our goblets together and then drank deeply.

"Like my people, my faith is weary Aella; I no longer believe the Gods are interested in us which is why they have unleashed their monsters on our lands."

"Perhaps the times are changing," I agreed raising a hand to my face to brush an annoying fallen strand of brown hair from my gaze. "And perhaps the Gods are angry with us for choosing to follow our own path instead of theirs, but I still pray and believe in them, even if they don't believe in me anymore."

"Do you remember when we use to sneak out of the palace to play with the village children?"

"Of course, your adventures always had a way of getting me into trouble." I replied making Andromeda smile as she glanced at me.

"We use to play with our wooden swords and pretend we were involved in an epic battle, worthy of the tales we'd heard from my father's soldiers. We had no idea what going to war really meant."

"We were only children Andromeda,"

"Yes we were." She gazed into the fire in sombre reflection while I drained the rest of the silky, red wine from my goblet, easily refilling it. "Erasmus was killed this afternoon."

"I know I saw what was left of his battalion this afternoon and I've prayed for him."

Andromeda glanced at me again, the fire light in different shades of orange highlighting the tears glistening within her blue eyes. "I spoke to him yesterday, he asked after you,"

"Me?"

She nodded. "He wanted to know if you were betrothed, he was in love with you –"

"No," I shook my head defiantly. "Erasmus was in love with the idea of me being his wife, staying at home and giving him many sons and daughters while he left to have adventures! He'd entertained the same silly fantasy for years, no matter how much I protested he vowed we would marry." I scowled. "As usual I was right."

"It's a hollow victory. He would've done everything in his power to make you happy Aella, but you never gave him a chance. He was a good man and now he's dead." She rose from her seat, holding her goblet with both hands and sighed heavily, carrying the weight of a kingdom upon her shoulders yet she always found time to worry about me too. "You've longed to prove yourself as worthy as a man since we were children Aella. You excel at swordplay, military tactics and are a loyal friend, but you can't expect me to believe that you do not wish to have a husband and a family of your own."

I stood up and went to stand beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder as I forced a small smile. "I'll marry for love, and when I'm ready, not because someone says I should. I live my life by my own terms."

"I know, I've always envied you for that,"

"I never would've turned out this way if you hadn't suggested we skip our lessons in favour of playing in the streets. You showed me there was so much more to life." She smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'll be in my tent if you need anything, try and sleep for tomorrow will be another long day."

"I will, sleep well Aella."

I left my goblet on a table as I passed, marching from the tent and made my way to my own living quarters. It was a simple dark coloured tent, the cloth being held up by three separate poles. A single cot covered in comfortable animal hides was located on one side, opposite it was a square wooden table and a small wooden post, balancing a bowl of clean water.

I washed my face and hands, longing for the home comfort of a bath. I undid a shoulder strap of my armour, carefully sliding it up and over my head to place the worn, dirty leather on the stand beside the cot. I removed the protective cuffs on my forearms and then went through the lengthy process of cleaning and sharpening my weapons, placing them in a neat line on the table. But before climbing into my cot for some much needed rest, I knelt down on the ground and clasped my hands together, closing my eyes.

"I pray to you, wise and illustrious God Ares and ask you watch over my Queen and her soldiers as we continue to fight the Chimera invaders. I hope you'll spare our people, our villages and livelihoods because there are those that still have faith in you…" I opened my eyes and sighed softly. "Even if you do not believe in us."

I stood up and unfastened my hair, letting the brown waves fall around my face and over my shoulders. I leisurely unbuttoned the short sleeves of my lightweight, emerald coloured tunic when the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rose to attention. But before I could spin round, a large hand tangled within my hair. My body stiffened, feeling the warmth of another body standing close behind me. I tried to concentrate on keeping my heart at a steady pace, and my breathing relaxed as the person buried their face in my hair and inhaled sharply.

"I believe for a mortal you have great courage." The male voice had a hint of an accent and was sinfully smooth.

I was roughly turned round, coming face to face with a handsome, burly man wearing armour made of fine materials that even the Queen herself couldn't afford, and a sweeping cape that brandished the hair of a creature I couldn't name. If it hadn't been for the goat insignias upon the armour I wouldn't have known the God of War was standing before me.

I instantly bowed my head and fell onto one knee in respect. "I'm honoured to be in your presence great Ares."

"And so you should be, your kind believes themselves to be greater than my father, my brothers and sisters when you're pathetic and weak. You have no honour, or respect –"

"That's not true –"

His hand shot down, his calloused fingers encircling my throat as he hauled me to my feet, tugging me close so his hot breath could fan my face as he spoke. "You dare to disagree with me? Are you so loyal to your kind that you don't see that my father still favours you over me? He's forming a plan as we speak to stop the carnage your kind is suffering, but he is not the only one with a strategy."

"What do you mean?" I whispered staring into his light hazel eyes that were a tempest of pain and anger, trying not to be too hopeful that the great Zeus was indeed still on our side.

"What is your name mortal?" He removed his hand from my neck and held my chin instead, his thumb softly grazing my lips and making them part as I answered him.

"Aella,"

"Aella," his throat hummed with amusement. "I've heard your prayers, and this is only the beginning of the battle. Humans will learn to fear the Gods once again,"

"Please, find it in your heart to forgive those that have lost their way. I still believe…if you've truly heard my prayers you know this to be true."

"I have heard you ask for me to forgive you for the lives you took on many battlefields, forgive the enjoyment you felt at proving yourself to be a better soldier than the men falling to their death at your feet."

"I fought to protect my Queen and my home."

"Your home will burn and be ravished by monsters you dare not think of in your nightmares. My father considers you to be superior to the Gods themselves…I will prove him wrong." The corners of his lips twitched seconds before he kissed me hard. I squirmed against him, his coarse facial hair scratching my smooth skin. I gasped for a breath the moment his lips left mine, my heart beating wildly as the God disappeared.

I slowly sat down on my cot and buried my face in my hands.


	2. Reborn

**2 –Reborn.**

I tried to sleep but my thoughts were too restless as I replayed my conversation with Ares, trying to figure out the hidden meaning in his words. To say he disliked mortals was an understatement but what confused me the most was why he felt the need to appear to me and tell me what he did and why he kissed me.

At dawn I rose and dressed, quickly heading to Andromeda's tent, discovering her studying a map of the area, advisors and servants scurrying around.

"Your majesty, we need to talk."

She studied my face for a long moment and trusted the sense of urgency in my tone because she abandoned the map, and dismissed everyone so we could be alone. "What's happened Aella?"

"I had a visitor last night, I was praying to Ares and he appeared."

She remained expressionless; listening intently as I reported everything the God had told me, but left out that he kissed me and the things I spoke to him about in my prayers.

"That's disheartening," she murmured once I'd finished.

"But Zeus is attempting to help us, and I think Ares is going to distract him somehow from it. He has much anger towards us; I saw it in his eyes…"

"We have a firm strategy in place, we can't rely on his information that some the Gods are going to help us, we must stay firm to what we know and that we alone are fighting the Chimera."

I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword. "So what are your orders your majesty?"

"I want you to lead your battalion of men to the south and help the local villagers protect their homes."

I bowed to my Queen despite the fact every fibre in my body trusted Ares to be telling the truth. I left the tent and tramped through the camp, calling my battalion of loyal men together. My troops wearing their helmets, with their swords sharpened and sandals stomping into the ground fell into line behind me. People had laughed when Andromeda considered me one of her most reliable soldiers, and condemned her decision to put me in charge of my very own battalion but those unfazed at following a woman joined me, serving me proudly and loyalty until death parted us.

We spent most of the day in the south fighting the Chimera. I jogged through the village in flames, my brunette ponytail bouncing against my back as I tried to escape a Chimera chasing me. The majority of my battalion was dead, the screams of agony and pain would forever haunt me but I had no time to pray for them.

I sprinted up the stone stairwell of a house, spinning round as I raised my bloodied sword, lashing at the hideous beast before its fiery breath could scorch me. I jabbed my blade through one of its heads the same time as an arrow flew through the air, missing the beast and hitting me. I stumbled backwards from the force, the arrow narrowly missing my armour to bury itself in my lower stomach as I tumbled off the edge of the one storied building to land flat on my back in the sandy dune below.

My body shuddered as I ripped the arrow from my stomach, my hands fumbling, struggling to plug the bleeding hole. I stared up at the clear blue sky, admiring the beauty that was worthy of a painting, rather than a battle scene as I felt a chill begin to consume me, surfacing in my toes and sluggishly covering me as if Hades himself was nearby, eagerly waiting to guide my soul to his Underworld palace.

I always assumed dying in battle was a noble cause, but as I felt my crimson blood ooze from my wound it didn't feel so noble. I was going to die in a nameless village, surrounded by other bloodied, charcoaled corpses, rather than the kind faces of the people I cared about.

I heard footsteps rush towards me, the familiar features of my second in command; Cyrus peering down at me as he dropped to his knees beside me. For a spilt second the hairy, dark-haired man barely in his thirties appeared panicked, but then roughly braced his hands against mine; pressing my bloodied flesh further into the wound and making a strangled hiss part my lips.

My hazel eyes struggled to stay in focus, the metallic taste of blood lingering on my tongue as Cyrus called for help. My eyelids fluttered close even though Cyrus lightly slapped my cheek.

"Stay with me Aella!"

In my final moments I decided to pray. _Great Ares watch over my Queen and the men as they continue to bravely fight on. Don't burden them with grief of my passing, let them stay strong and live on with lingering hope of freedom. Forgive me for not being there to protect them and allow the noble master of the Underworld Hades to accept me with open arms. This is my last prayer to you dearest Ares; I've always admired you and endeavoured to be a soldier you could be proud of. Please forgive me._

A small exhale of air parted my lips and then nothing. Everything went black.

-x-

My eyelids flickered open; everything about me slightly foggy as if I'd endured a deep sleep after a night spent drinking too much wine. My hands rested upon my stomach, sliding easily over what appeared to be a silky material. Gradually I sat up surprised to discover myself in a chamber created out of dark coloured marble, even the bed I was in was marble framed. The bed blankets itself was welcoming, dressed in fine fleeces and comfortable pillows. I slid off the bed finding my slender form draped in a simple silk dress the colour of a precious ruby stone, my feet were bare and my hair loose. There was no blood, dirt or sand. Nothing to suggest I'd been fighting Chimera or wounded.

I peered around the vast chamber, feeling the heat of the roaring fire from the circular pit in the middle of the room. Animal skins covered parts of the stone floor and the odd weapon I couldn't name decorated the walls. Off to one side, near the obscenely large bed appeared to be a bathroom and dressing room, a shimmery piece of glass separating it from the rest of the chamber.

I heard a door close in the distance and my attention swayed to the heavy footsteps that approached, my eyes widening as Ares walked confidently towards me. He removed his cape, tossing it lazily at one of the red armchairs positioned around the fire pit.

"You're awake."

"Where am I? What is happening here?"

"You are on Mount Olympus Aella." He extended his hand but I recoiled, making deep furrow lines appear between his eyebrows. "I thought you would be more gracious as I am the one who asked Hades to spare your life."

"I'm not dead?"

"No, unless that is what you really want I can arrange it." I shook my head and motioned to bow before the God in gratitude but he stopped me, reaching for my elbow. "Your last thoughts were of me," I blushed beneath his intense gaze which he obviously found amusing because he smirked, tenderly brushing his fingers up my bare arm. "Usually before death soldiers beg to see their wives, mothers, fathers and children one last time but not you. Why is that Aella?"

"I have no husband or children. My mother passed two years ago and my father…" I lost my concentration for a moment when his fingers gently lowered the thin strap of the dress off my shoulder.

"What about your father?" He urged walking pass me, his calloused fingers tracing the back of my neck and tangling in my hair as he stood behind me.

"I never knew him. He abandoned my mother shortly after my birth when he discovered I wasn't the son he craved." A shiver ran down my spine as Ares heated breath caressed my neck.

"Do you hate him for that?"

I chewed on my bottom lip as his lips quivered against my skin, my hands clutching the delicate material of the dress so I wouldn't spin round and touch the God intoxicating me with his very presence. "I forgave him a long time ago when I realized my hatred was beginning to consume me."

"Of course you would naturally hate him for casting you aside. I am in a similar position with my father at this very moment."

"Because you believe him to love us more than you?"

"Yes."

"Can you not believe that he has enough love for all of us?" My breathing hitched when his lips pressed against my neck, and then spun me round to face him.

"You are a curious creature." He smirked. "Now, undo my armour."

I swallowed hard and curtly nodded my head, going about my work silently while his gaze never stopped studying me. He directed me to place his armour in the dressing room which I found mesmerizing as it contained a number of highly crafted swords, knives, shields and armours, even his hammer forged by the brilliant Hephaestus sat proudly on a long velvet cushion. When I returned Ares was standing in a simple tunic before the fire pit, gazing into the embers that I thought highlighted his true self. He might've been the God of War but surely even he grew weary of battle.

"Come here Aella," I quickly covered the distance between us, keeping my head respectfully bowed. He reached for my chin, tilting my head up so our gazes met adoring the way his blue eyes were flecked with bits of hazel. "You shall no longer bow to me; I won't be denied the beautiful sight of your face." I felt my cheeks flush with heat again. "Have you been with a man Aella?"

I didn't answer, averting my gaze from his which made his throat rumble with a deep grumble.

"I'll take that as a yes to my question."

"I was young," I blurted. "Foolish and in love, I believed every kind word he spoke to me, but I was just one of many he used."

"Who was this man?"

"He was an archery teacher at the palace. He was killed during practice…a wayward arrow to the chest."

Ares raised his eyebrows at me, easily reading me as if I was a book on display. "Was that the first time you killed a man?" I nodded. "A fitting end to his wicked ways. I swear, if any man harms you ever again he will answer to me personally."

He grabbed my hips and effortlessly tossed me at the bed where I landed with a light thud. I sat up on my elbows as Ares walked towards the bed. He was slow and deliberate as he removed the tunic he wore, making my heart race wildly as I visually drank in his attractive, muscular physique. He paused at the foot of the bed and bent down, lightly kissing my foot. He didn't say anything as he leisurely crawled up my body, placing feather light kisses against my bare skin as if to claim every part of me as his. His hands reached my waist and undid the tie that held my dress in place, his lips stretching into a cockeyed grin that was instantly disarming; I couldn't control myself any longer I curled my arms round his neck as our lips met. I wanted to feel his skin against mine and adore him in the way I'd fantasized about after our first meeting. He kissed me hard, almost bruising my lips as he drew the silky material away from my skin, but it was a brain numbing kiss that made me tingle deep within my heart and soul, connecting me fully to him. I tangled my fingers in his soft brown waves as he laid me back against the bed, losing myself in his embrace.


End file.
